Bow tie clip



BOW TIE CLIP Frank B. Polachek, New York, N. Y., and Bernard L. Polkosnik, Fairfield, Conn.

Application July 29, 1954, Serial No. 446,432 13 Claims. (Cl. 24-81) This invention relates to bow tie clips and particularly to the type of clips which have backing members extended :from a central frame so as to be placed against one side of the tabs of a collar and spring arms pivoted relative .to the backing members so as to swing away from, or to be snapped down against, the backing members to clamp the tie on the collar tabs. This application is a continuation-in-part of a prior, copending application, Serial No. 347,958, filed April 10, 1953.

Bow tie clips have long been a standard article, and have become standardized to the point where it has been generally accepted that there is no longer room for improvement. It is an object of our invention nevertheless to simplify, and to reduce the cost of, bow tie clips and at the same time to improve their functioning. In our said copending application we have shown a number of difierent forms of tie clips, most of which are simplified to the point where they consist of three pieces Comprising one central frame portion with integrally extending backing members and two pivoted arms having integral spring tongues thereon which by passing over center in a camming relation to another part provides a snap action and a resulting pressure against the backing members by which the tie is clamped between the arm and the backing member. In some forms a wire loop or other unitary piece may be used which easily and quickly fits into the slots in the channel frame and provides abutment supports for the spring tongues of the clamping arms.

States Patent It is important in such a device to have the final pressure of the clamping arm against the backing member sufli'ciently strong that the tie does not readily pull off of the collar; yet the force required must not be so high that it is di'fiicult to bend up the clamping arms to remove the tie from the collar at any time.

Moreover, for convenience of use it is highly desirable that once the tie has been released the clamping arms remain away from the backing members until they are again pushed back into clamping position. This is accomplished according to our present invention by the use of spring tongues on the clamping arms, said tongues operating over abutments spaced from the pivots of the clamping arms and the spring tongues being formed so that the successive parts of their surfaces which ride on the abutments when the arms are swung have a varying radial distance from the pivot axis, i. e., the under surface of the spring tongue crosses and recrosses a circle centered 'on said axis and interiorly tangent to the surface of the abutment on which the spring tongue presses. Thus, the surface of the spring tongue acts as a cam against the abutment to deflect the tongue as the arm rotates about its axis, and the cam action of the tongue, combined with its spring action, serves to drive the spring arm against the backing member or into one of its positions of repose which corresponds to the positions in which the under surice face of the spring tongue has the greatest radial distance from the pivot axis.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown several embodiments of the invention, and in this specification we shall suggest various further modifications. These are selected and set forth with a. view to instructing others on the principles of the invention and illustrating the best manner of their application in practical use, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention. On the contrary, it .is our intention that others shal be enabled. by this specification and the accompanying drawings to modify and adapt these. embodiments to suit the peculiar conditions of. each particular use and application.

In these drawings:

Figure l is a plan. view of a clip embodying our invention ready for application of a bow tie. Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same, with one arm at the half open position ready for insertion in the collar tab and the other arm in the clamping position pressed against its backing member.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the spring arms detached from .the other structure of the clip.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure l, but showing a modified spring arm and abutment.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary views in plan and elevation similar to those shown in Figures 4 and 5, but with a spring wire, clamping arm and abutment member.

Figures 8 and 9 are fragmentary views in plan .and elevation, respectively, similar to Figures 4 andAS, but showing a spring armformed of wire and with a difierent abutment.

Figure 10 is an isometric view, with a portion broken away to show a section, of a nylon abutment member as used, for example in Figures 8 and 9.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a central frame member is shown at 12. This, as shown, consists of a sheet metal stamping formed up into a channel with sides 14 and a bottom 16. Integral with, and extending laterally from, the bottom 16 are backing members 18 designed to extend under the tabs of an ordinary shirt collar. These are somewhat curved in cross section in order to give rigidity to resist the pressure of the spring arms when clamped down onto them to hold the tie on the collar; and they are also curved longitudinally to properly-position the tie with respect to the collar.

The outer collar-gripping ends of the backing members 18 are advantageously made broader, as indicated at Y20, and are formed with dome-like, or more or less conical, projections 22 which register with the slightly larger holes 23 in the ends of the clamping arms 28. Thus, when the clamping arms are pressed against the backing r members with a collar engaged between them, the collar is securely gripped by reason of the projections 22 pushing portions of the collar into the holes 23.

In the embodiment shown, the sides 14 are made with projecting cars '24 having holes 25 which serve as pivot bearings for pivot studs 26 on the clamp arms. Above the ears 2.4 and also integral with the sides 14 are abutment lugs 30, which are bent over at right angles to extend into or across the channel, the lugs from opposite sides advantageously meeting in the center or overlapping one another.

The clamping arms 28 as shown are made of fiat spring steel stamped to the form shown in Figure v3, i. e., stamping out the holes 23, shearing along the two sides'of thetongue 32, and finally stamping out the outline indicated in Figure 3 to complete the piece. This leaves the tongue 32 integrally connected at its outer end with the rest of the arm 28 and joined thereto through a juncture area, in which the edges of the tongue curve gradually away from the line of tongue 32 and around the holes 23 with a smooth continuous curve. Thus, there is no sharp line of flex nor any sharp corner from whlch fatigue cracks would be likely to start.

The spring tongue 32 is bent, before it is given its final spring temper, to a form such as that shown in Figures 2, 5, 7 or 9, whereby cam surfaces are formed to cooperate with the abutment 30, as a cam follower, to drive the spring arm 28 either into its clamping position or to one of its positions of repose.

As shown in Figure 2, the tongue 32 is designed to give two positions of repose in addition to the clamping position. In the latter, as shown on the right hand side of Figure 2, the end of the spring tongue 32 bears against the abutment 30 at an acute angle relative to the clamping arm 28 (e. g., about 25 or 40 or more) in the clamping position. Thus, the spring and cam action of the tongue against the abutment serve to force the arms 28 firmly down against the backing member 18.

Between the clamping position shown at the right hand side of Figure 2 and the release position as shown at the left hand side of Figure 2, the straight portion 33 of the spring tongue 32 must pass over the abutment 30. This straight portion of the arm obviously follows a chord of the circle centered on the pivot axis at 26 and passing through the contact line of the arm 28 on the abutment 30; and consequently, flexed upward by the camming action of the abutment 30. On the first half of this movement, the spring and camming action of tongue 32 tend to drive the arm 28 back into clamping position against the backing member 18; but when the arm 28 is moved over center, i. e., beyond the point of maximum deflection of this flat chordal portion, the spring and cam action then tends to drive the arm 28 to the position of repose shown at the left hand side of Figure 2, wherein the abutment 30 is against the side of hump 34 (shown at the end of the chordal portion 33).

In ordinary use of the tie, clamping it on to the collar and removing it, the arms 28 will be moved to and from the clamping position shown at the right hand end of Figure 2 and the released position shown at the left hand end of Figure 2; but, if desired and especially for purposes of applying tie (e. g., slipping the arms 28 into tubular portions of a pre-tied bow) the arms 28 may be moved to upright position in which they are substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the channel frame 12 and parallel to one another. When this is done, the humps 34 push over the abutment 30, against the cam action, drive the tongue 32, against its spring action, until the high point of the hump has been passed; and thereafter it drives the arm to its perpendicular position with the abutment 30 clamped between the hump 34 and the straight side portion of the arm 28. Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, we have there illustrated three modifications from the structure shown in Figures 1 to 3. In plan view of Figure 4 it should be noticed that ears 36 have been added on the outer end of thearms 28a, each ear having a hole 38 adapted for sewing the tie to the outermost extremity.

In the second place the spring tongue 32a constitutes an outward extension of the arm 28a having been severed from the ears 36 with a smoothly rounded curve on the end of the portion punched out between them. The tongue portion is bent back as clearly shown in Figure and is formed with a series of reversed curves crossing and recrossing the circle centered on the pivot 26 and internally tangent to the abutment 30a. In this case the extreme ends of the arms 32a are bent to a greater angle with the arms 28a, respectively, thereby giving a stronger cam action to press the arm against the backing member the spring tongue 32 must be 18. In this case also the abutment 30a instead of being fixed, as in Figures 1 and 2, is a roller mounted in slots 40 in the sides 14a adapted to permit limited rolling back and forth of the abutment rollers 30a.

These rollers are of hardened steel and their ends are headed at 42, as shown in Figure 4, so that the rollers are held axially against escape from the slots 40. In a transverse direction the rollers are held in place by virtue of the concave ends fitting the corresponding arc of the roller. The cam action of the spring tongue 32a drives the roller strongly toward one end or the other of its slot and holds it securely in the concave recess. This freedom to roll from one end to the other of the slot 40 gives to the cam and follower a snap action which is more pronounced than with a fixed abutment such as that shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, as the arm 28a is swung upward the end of the tongue 32a is pushed over the surface of the roller 30a, still holding it in the end of the slot toward the center of the frame 12a, until such time as the top of the hump is reached and has passed a point of tangency on the roller. At this point the caming action tends to snap the roller to the opposite end of the slot above the camming angle and thus tends to lift the spring arm to its release position.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the action is similar to that previously described excepting that in this case the abutment 30b is held by the clamping of its ends 42b in the slots 40b; and the anti-friction character of nylon against polished steel is taken advantage of to facilitate the operation of the device. In this case also there is some of the improved snap action described in connection with the elongated slot 40 due to the resilient de- 'flection of the nylon. This deflection, however, is slight and should be kept slight.

In Figures 6 and 7, the abutment 300 spring wire positioned in slots 400 in the the frame.

is a loop of sides 14c of This construction is of particular advantage in so far as economy of production is concerned because of the ease of assembly. The loop 300 is easier to handle than the small parts 30a or 30b; and the stamping out of the slots 400 is a simpler operation than the forming of the abutment 30 in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. Referring to Figure 7 is will be noted that the abutments in this case are both parts of a single piece 300, which facilitates assembly and reduces cost of manufacture and handling. This can be achieved by use of a single piece in various forms, most advantageously with the transverse abutment members extending outward into slots 250 in the channel frame as shown in Figures 6 and 7. In Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, we have also shown a. modified form of spring arms 280 wherein the arm and the spring tongue 320 are formed by bending spring wire to the form clearly shown in these drawings and thereafter tempering. With this wire arm, the nylon is more easily grooved by cold flow, but since as shown in Figure 8, the wire tip rests on a different position than the sides of the loop when the arm 28b is raised, and the area of support for this tip portion is greater, the cold flow can be kept within practically eflective limits. As the wire presses down into the nylon its area of contact increases and this is advantageous in some cases, so that the assembled clips may be made with some excess spring force and stored or operated a while to let the wire work down, or such grooves may be molded into block 30b. For most purposes, however, it is advantageous to use the flat-spring which rolls or slides on the abutment without substantial working of the material; and especially a hardened, smooth steel spring on a hardened smooth roller, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Although I have preferred to use spring steel as the material of the arms 28 and especially of the spring tongues 32, it is to be understood that these may be of other hard spring metals. For example, beryllium bronze, Phosphor bronze or even hard spring brass. The rollers are advantageously made of 1020 low carbon steel, surface hardened, glass hard. Abutment 300 may be the same.

Of particular interest is the bending of the end of the spring tongue that rests on the abutment or roller. This bending of the end of the spring tongue is shown in Figures 2, 5, 7 and 9. This bending may be used with spring wire or sheet steel. The end of the spring tongue is bent so as to provide a hump which pushes against the roller or abutment when the clamping arm is in a closed position. As the arm is raised from a closed position it turns on its pivot and the spring tongue moves forward and the hump moves over the roller or abutment until a second bending or valley in the spring tongue is reached. When the valley reaches the abutment the clamping arm is held in an intermediate position. In this position the clamping arm is at an acute angle to the plane of the channel frame web. When further pressure is applied moving the clamping arms away from the backing arms, the spring tongue again moves over the abutment until it brings a second hump over the abutment and assumes a position more or less perpendicular to the plane of the web of the channel frame. This is the fully open position of the clamping arm. In moving the clamping arm from the fully open position to the fully closed position the clamping arm must pass through the intermediate position where it makes an acute angle with the plane of the web of the channel frame.

In the use of these clips the clamping arms 28 are secured to a pre-tied bow. These arms may be projected up into a tubular portion of the tie through slits spaced apart the same distance as the pivots 26, in which case they will hold the tie even without sewing or otherwise securing in place; or they may be sewed to the back of the bow, or otherwise secured.

If the arms are inserted into tubular portions spaced apart as suggested, the arms 28 are swung to substantially parallel upright positions and thereupon the tie can be applied and the arms inserted therein by a unilateral motion. The arms are then swung to the released position as shown at the left hand side of Figure 2, after which the backing members 18 are inserted under the collar tabs and the arms 28 then pushed down over them to grip the collar tabs and secure the tie in place. For removal, it is only necessary to grasp the tie, or the end of the arms 28 through the tie, and to lift them away from the backing members 18. As indicated above, after they have been swung out a short distance the arms 28 snap to the open position and hold themselves in that position.

It is also advantageous that the clamping arm be capable of being depressed in one or more intermediate stages in going from the fully open to the fully closed position. Not only does this give a braking action to allow easy and accurate setting and fastening of the tie to the collar tabs, but it also reduces the impact of the clamping arm against the cloth of the collar tab when the clamping arm is moved to a fully closed position. This reduction in the impact force decreases the normal wear that would be expected when the clamping arm is moved from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

We claim:

1. A bow tie clip of the type comprising a frame with backing members on opposite sides adapted to extend along one surface of the tabs of a collar, clamping arms pivoted on the frame to swing against and away from the backing members to clamp the collar tabs therebetween and to release them, and spring tongues on said arms extending from a point well out on each arm inward over an abutment on said frame near, but spaced from the pivot axis which is away from said backing members,

said clip being characterized by each clamping arm and its spring tongue being of spring metal in sheet form, and said tongue being bent to a crooked form with its under surface beingin part a cam face obliquely crossing and recrossing a circle centered on the pivot axis and internally tangent to said abutment, whereby said tongue acting on said abutment converts its spring force to press said arm either against its backing member or to hold it in a release position, respectively.

2. A clip as defined in claim 1 in which the tongue and the clamping arm are parts of "the same sheet metal piece, severed laterally but still integrally connected near the outer end.

3. A. clip as defined in claim 2v in which the outer end of each tongue joins the clamping arm with its severed edge continued in a smooth curve along the juncture area from the side of the tongue around a hole to the adjacent severed edge of the armwhereby the tongue can be repeatedly flexed without failure.

4. A clip as defined in claim 1 in which the outer end of each tongue joins the clamping arm with its edge continued in a smooth curve along the juncture area to the edge of the arm whereby the tongue can be repeatedly flexed without failure.

5. A clip as defined in claim 1 in which the tongues are extensions of the same sheet metal pieces, on the ends of said arms, and each is folded back over one face of its arm.

6. A clip as defined in claim 1 in which the abutment is a transverse member of greater thickness than the metal of the frame.

7. A bow tie clip of the type comprising a frame with backing members on opposite sides adapted to extend along one surface of the tabs of a collar, clamping arms pivoted on the frame to swing against and away from the backing members to clamp the collar tabs therebetween and to release them, and spring tongues on said arms extending from a point well out on each arm inward over an abutment on said frame near, but spaced from the pivot axis above said backing members and having relatively sloped faces to act as cam portions, said clip being characterized by said abutment being a hard roll rotatably mounted in said frame under the tongue whereby to serve as a roller follower for the cam portions of the tongue.

8. A clip as defined in claim 7 in which the roller is mounted in openings in the frame wider than the bearing portions of the rollers received therein and with smooth bottoms adapted for rolling of the rollers back and forth therein, whereby to give improved snap action when the cams pass high points over said rollers.

9. A bow tie clip of the type comprising a frame with backing members on opposite sides adapted to extend along one surface of the tabs of a collar, clamping arms pivoted on the frame to swing against and away from the backing members to clamp the collar tabs therebetween and to release them, and spring tongues on said arms extending from a point well out on each arm inward over an abutment on said frame near, but spaced from the pivot axis above said backing members, said clip being characterized by said abutments for opposite clamping arms being integrally connected into a single unitary piece by a portion extending along at least one side of the frame and mounted on said frame under the respective tongues.

10. A clip as defined in claim 9 in which the abutment is a loop of hardened wire, wider than said frame and mounted with its end portions in transverse slots in said frame.

11. A clip as defined in claim 9 in which the abutment sections of the unitary abutment members are mounted in transverse slots in the channel frame, the breadth and depth of the slots being greater than the thickness of the abutment portions of the unitary member.

12. A clip as defined in claim 1 in which the ends of the spring tongues bearing on the abutment are bent in a series of cam sections with valleys that line up with the abutment, the bent section at the end of the spring tongue being at an acute angle to the radius from the pivot axis of the clamping arm on the frame to said abutment.

13. A bow tie clip of the type comprising a frame with backing members on opposite sides adapted to extend along one surface of the tabs of a collar, clamping arms pivoted on the frame to swing against and away from the backing members to clamp the collar tabs therebetween and to release them, respectively, and spring tongues on said arms extending from a point well out on each arm inward over an abutment on said frame near, but spaced from, the pivot axis above said members, the tip of the tongue where it overlies the abutment when the arm is in clamping position being turned up at an acute angle to a plane extending generally along the clamping arm.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reiter Aug. 2, 1921 Baldwin Apr. 8, 1924 Morehouse Oct. 14, 1930 Milks Nov. 25, 1930 Cohn Jan. 5, 1932 Chernow Feb. 4, 1941 Austin June 12, 1941 Oldak Apr. 4, 1950 Ballou Jan. 29, 1952 Phelps Apr. 29, 1952 Cotchett Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1902, Great Britain 1935 Great Britain 1948 France 1936 

